OCD: ‘Basyang’ kills 12; cleanup, damage checks underway

The death toll from Tropical Cyclone “Basyang” climbed to 12 on Sunday, Feb. 8, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) disclosed, as floodwaters began to recede, paving the way for clearing operations and damage assessments in affected areas. Most of the fatalities were reported in Northern Mindanao (Region 10) with nine. A victim previously listed missing in a landslide was eventually found dead while one additional death in the region was being verified. Earlier, the OCD said a family of four was buried in a landslide in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental while three other fatalities were recorded in Iligan City. Meanwhile, three people perished in Caraga (Region 13): two victims drowned in Surigao del Sur while one person also drowned in Agusan del Norte. OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo stated that the figures were undergoing a rigorous validation process. "These are all for verification and validation by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Cluster for the Dead and Missing,” he noted. The flooding that submerged dozens of villages has started to ease. In Caraga and Northern Mindanao, 30 flooded barangays reported that waters have already subsided. “In Caraga and Northern Mindanao, there are reportedly no more flooded areas. Most of the areas earlier reported...